Press Releases

Traffic Advisory: Bridge and Road Closures Planned as Part of Route 146 Corridor Bridges Project in North Smithfield

Closures Begin Monday, February 26

As part of the ongoing Route 146 Corridor Bridges Project in North Smithfield, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will simultaneously replace the Woonsocket Hill Road Bridge and rehabilitate the Pound Hill Road Bridge.

The bridge replacement involves a 10-month closure of the Woonsocket Hill Road Bridge from Monday, February 26 through December 2018. The structurally deficient steel bridge carries 1,000 vehicles per day on Woonsocket Hill Road over Route 146.

RIDOT will also close Route 146 North and South, under Woonsocket Hill Road, for one weekend in March while the Woonsocket Hill Road Bridge is demolished. The extended weekend closure, scheduled for Friday, March 2 through Sunday, March 4 will both lessen the impact to the motoring public and help the Department expedite the project. Motorists can expect delays during the closure, and the use of alternate routes is recommended. Detour information for both closures is available at www.ridot.net/detourmaps.

After the Woonsocket Hill Road Bridge is demolished, travelers will experience weekday and overnight lane shifts and closures within the project area on Route 146 North and South, while RIDOT installs a new foundation and center pier, replaces the bridge deck, installs new bridge railing and fencing, replaces the existing sidewalks and repaves Woonsocket Hill Road. In addition, short-duration rolling road blocks will take place over one or more weekends in mid-summer 2018 to install structural steel for the new bridge structure.

The second part of this construction contract includes the rehabilitation of the Pound Hill Road Bridge. This structurally deficient concrete arch bridge carries nearly 40,000 vehicles per day on Route 146 over Pound Hill Road. Crews will focus on rehabilitating the existing concrete arch and replacing the bridge railing. During construction, motorists will experience daytime lane shifts on both Route 146 and Pound Hill Road, as well as intermittent nighttime lane closures on Route 146.

The Route 146 Corridor Bridges Project was made possible by RhodeWorks, RIDOT's ongoing commitment to repair structurally deficient bridges and bring Rhode Island's transportation infrastructure into a state of good repair, promote economic development, and create jobs. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks. Final project completion for the $11.3 million project, is slated for Fall 2019. All schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change